Originally, the rule was intended to maintain a level of safety by limiting the weight to something that they felt was appropriate. In fact, the Cannondale Six13 marketing campaign was partly taking advantage of that for its success.

The UCI also has various measurement rules regarding bike parts as well. In any case, many people in the profession claim (and have done) that these are outmoded rules, and that they should go because technology has developed faster than the rules.

I've wondered about this too. One of my theories with the weight and the other restrictions is to make sure that bike races contnue to look like bike races and not some science fair. Kind of like keeping wooden bats the standard in Major League Baseball.

I've wondered about this too. One of my theories with the weight and the other restrictions is to make sure that bike races contnue to look like bike races and not some science fair. Kind of like keeping wooden bats the standard in Major League Baseball.

yeah it's supposed to be a saftey thing. the bad thing is that smaller riders disproportionately disadvantaged since the standard weight is a larger portion of their body weight than it is for larger riders

yeah it's supposed to be a saftey thing. the bad thing is that smaller riders disproportionately disadvantaged since the standard weight is a larger portion of their body weight than it is for larger riders

I think it should be more like Nascar where either the smaller riders have to wear a big, tall man suit so that their aero drag is the same as the big guys, or only guys who are 5'8" can ride. Plastic surgery would become huge for lengthening and shortening riders but the end result would be worth it

I think it should be more like Nascar where either the smaller riders have to wear a big, tall man suit so that their aero drag is the same as the big guys, or only guys who are 5'8" can ride. Plastic surgery would become huge for lengthening and shortening riders but the end result would be worth it

nah... you've got it backward... big guys have a bigger engine (leg muscles) and the same weight car (bike)... that's not fair.. it's the bigger guys that should have to wear balast